From free suite upgrades to turning daily spending into first-class flights, this episode is a crash course in making luxury travel accessible — even on a budget.

This week’s Fare of the Week (powered by Notiflyr.com):
Roundtrip flights from major U.S. cities (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, LA, Miami, NYC, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C.) to European hubs like Amsterdam, Athens, Paris, Prague, and Zurich for $430–$500 on SAS Airlines.

• Travel window: September 2025 – May 2026

• Includes food and drink, but basic economy rules apply (limited baggage)

• Elite SkyTeam members (Delta, Air France, KLM) get added perks like free bags

💡 Pro tip: Book early — these fares will not last.

We unpack Etihad’s latest promotion:

• 5 million miles for the first person to visit all 15 new destinations

• Milestone prizes: 25K miles (5 destinations) or 100K miles (10 destinations)

• Messy rules, unclear leaderboard, and potential passport headaches (hello, Russia)

Is it worth chasing? Marty and Matt debate the value — and whether it beats Turkish Airlines’ or JetBlue’s recent promos.

Guest: Ben Komenkul — founder of Hotel Secrets Masterclass and Airline Points Academy. He’s traveled the world mastering points and loyalty programs, helping thousands turn modest budgets into unforgettable experiences.

• How Ben went from La Quinta loyalty to Hyatt globalist (and why you shouldn’t chase every status tier at once)

• When earning points beats redeeming them

• The secret to scoring upgrades without breaking the bank

• Why bringing your own pillow might be the best travel hack you’ve never tried

• How to use hotel-branded credit cards and loyalty tiers strategically (plus why Hyatt and Marriott aren’t equal)

• Focus on one program — lifetime status beats juggling low-tier loyalty

• Check the fine print — not all vouchers work the same (or transfer to others)

• Free agent? Sign up for the program anyway — those points add up

• Book first, confirm later — great deals vanish fast; you can always cancel within 24 hours

• AwardWallet – Track points and expiration dates across programs

• FlightAware – Real-time flight tracking (know delays before the airline does)

• CardPointers – Optimize credit card perks and benefits automatically

• TripIt – Organize itineraries in one app

We’re kicking off a new segment breaking down aviation acronyms. This week: ACARS — Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System. Think of it as an old-school text messaging system for pilots and ground crews… still used today.

• Instagram: @landingslayovers

• Twitter/X: @landingandlayover

• Facebook: Landings and Layovers

• Email: landingsandlayovers@gmail.com

#HotelLoyalty #TravelHacks #MileagePromotions #LuxuryOnPoints #LandingsAndLayovers #AwardTravel #SASAirlinesDeals #EtihadChallenge #BenKomenkul

✈️ Landings and Layovers | Season 2, Episode 5
🎙 Hosted by Matt Fleischman & Marty Paz

Since we recorded, the Turkish Airlines million-mile promotion has been suspended without notice. Still, the strategies, planning, and points talk are timeless—so we’re keeping the conversation going.

LOT Polish Airlines is slinging serious deals: roundtrip flights from New York to multiple Eastern European cities—Krakow, Sofia, Vilnius, and more—for under $500. In some cases, closer to $400. Lufthansa is matching some fares, too.

📍 Fly into smaller, often overlooked cities
📅 Valid for: July, Sept–Dec 2025, and Feb 2026
🎫 Book direct or via a Star Alliance partner for mileage bonuses

We dive into JetBlue’s 25-destination challenge (25 cities = 350K points + 25 years of elite status) and compare it to the recently suspended Turkish Airlines Million Mile Contest, which required touching down on six continents in four months.

🔎 Key comparisons:

• Turkish Airlines required everything to route through Istanbul

• Minimum spend to qualify? $3,000+

• Turkish miles expire after 3 years (ouch)

• JetBlue’s challenge? Easier, shorter, and lets you fly domestic or Caribbean

⚙️ Building a run? We’re helping listeners with itinerary planning for both challenges and future promos.

Meet Meyy, a cardiovascular professional and mileage master who’s flown over 500,000 miles — 95% of them in first or business class.

He shared how he’s unlocked luxury cabins with smart strategies, including:

• Booking American Airlines First for 25K Etihad miles

• Turning an Oman Air downgrade into a surprise Air France La Première experience

• Stacking reroutes: 3 canceled flights → Singapore Business Class for 60K points

• Why Air France Platinum status still pays off—even years later

💡 Meyy’s top tips:

• Bring chocolates. It works.

• Flexibility beats status.

• Know your phone agents—they can be more powerful than your credit card.

• British Airways mileage runs? Still worth it… for now.

Meyy and Marty break down the future of loyalty programs:

• American’s program is flexible—but for how long?

• Airline loyalty is becoming gamified, fast

• British Airways is shifting away from leisure travelers

• Devaluations are coming… earn and burn while you can

• 🧠 You don’t need millions of points—just a smart strategy

• 🎁 Kindness can upgrade you faster than status

• 🧳 Air France La Première is worth every reroute (and the occasional stress-induced forehead vein)

• 🗺️ Use regional airports to find better award space

• 💺 “Mileage runs are fun again” — just pick your program wisely

We’re working on:

• JetBlue’s 25-city itinerary builds

• Star Alliance million-mile ideas (if it returns)

• BA Tier Point runs from the U.S. and Europe

• Etihad, Flying Blue, and Turkish mileage strategy builds

📬 DM us or email—we’ll help you sketch it out and maybe even feature your run in a future ep.

• 💌 Email: landingsandlayovers@gmail.com

• 📸 Instagram: @landingslayovers

• 🐦 Twitter/X: @landingNlayover

• 🌍 Website: brieflydistracted.com/landingsandlayovers

Las Vegas → Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City on Korean Air | ~$700–800 roundtrip

One stop via Seoul, excellent availability (Jan–May, Jul–Dec 2026), and great connections make this a steal. Whether you’re craving Thai food in Bangkok or street coffee in Vietnam, this long-haul deal is smoother than a layover bibimbap. Korean Air’s inflight meal? Legit top-tier.

📌 Pro tip: Stopover in Seoul for a few days—yes, there’s a high-speed train to Daegu, and yes, it’s worth it for Korea’s fried chicken and beer festival (aka Chimaek Fest).

Marty breaks down JetBlue’s jaw-dropping anniversary promotion:

• Visit 15 JetBlue destinations = 150,000 points (~$2,000 value)

• Visit 20 destinations = 350,000 points (~$4,500 value)

• Visit 25 = 25 years of Mosaic 1 elite status + 350K points + United Silver via reciprocity

📌 Points count on cash + award tickets
📌 Includes connections as long as they’re JetBlue-operated
📌 Must book “Blue” fares or higher (not basic economy)

Whether you’re a points junkie or casually curious, this is one of the richest domestic promotions we’ve ever seen.

🔧 Need help planning your mileage run? We’re offering custom itinerary planning for this and other travel challenges. DM us or reach out via our site (see links below).

Jason—traveler, dad, and mileage whisperer—joins us to talk about the ups and downs of traveling with his daughter from the age of five to fourteen. Topics include:

• Why your travel style changes when you become the only adult on the trip

• How letting kids plan your day can turn into the best trip ever (shoutout to Lawrence from the JW Marriott Hong Kong concierge!)

• Navigating London, Tokyo, and Venice with a tween

• His best travel hack: relationships beat rules every single time

• How regional airports and flight connections can unlock killer deals

From Harry Potter in London to snowstorms in Venice, this episode is full of stories, insight, and inspiration—especially for parents planning family trips.

🔹 Book long-haul Asia flights from regional airports for better prices
🔹 Don’t underestimate award availability out of secondary cities
🔹 You can build lifetime airline status with one crazy (but strategic) trip
🔹 Sometimes your kid planning the day = best day ever

We teased it, now it’s almost here. On our next episode, Marty breaks down the wild Turkish Airlines promotion that could net you a million miles. You don’t want to miss this.

Have questions about the JetBlue promo? Want help building your own 25-destination itinerary? Thinking about dragging your teenager across the globe?

📨 Email us: landingsandlayovers@gmail.com
📸 Instagram: @landingsandlayovers
📍 Twitter/X: @landingNlayover
🌐 Website:

#JetBlueChallenge #TravelHacks #FamilyTravelTips #KoreanAirDeals #BangkokTravel #VietnamOnABudget #MileageRun #SoloParentTravel #TravelWithTeens #LandingsAndLayovers